Repeating device for talking-machines.



L ABRAHAM. REPEATING DEVICE FOR TALKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED DBO. 4, 1913.

1,1 1 7, 143. Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

//V VE IV TOR ATTOH/VEV8 'necessary is the LAWRENCE ABRAHAM,

er NEW YORK, n. Y.

REPEATING DEVICE FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

I Application filed December 4, 1913. Serial No. 804,622.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that/I LAWRENCE ABRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Repeating Devices for Talking-,-

Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention .relates more particularly to a device for use in connection with disk record machines although a device of similar nature can be arranged in connection with the records of various makes of machines.

My device is shown as applied to the wellknown Victor talking machine and has for its object to adapt the machine to repeat the playing of the record by automatic means requiring no attention on the part of the operator other than keeping the motor going. My device. when properly applied will also-prevent the scraping of the needle after a record is played if the operator sholpld neglect to lift the needle from the dis One form of my device as adapted to the Victor machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a plan view and Fig. 2 a side view.

Referring to the drawings 1 represents a disk record supported upon and rotated by theusu'al motor driven table 2-. The usual tone arm 3,Which is pivoted at at and adapted for movement in a horizontal plane is provided with the usual needle 5 and sound box 6 which are adapted for movement in a vertical plane by the joint at 7. These parts and their operation are well known in the Victor talking machine and need no further description.

In applying my device. the only change formation of a socket in the table 2 at the portion 2 thereof. Preferably the socket is a square hole adapted to receive the lower, squared end of a rod or post 8 adapted to support a cam 9 in a plane parallel to the plane of the disk 1. The cam 9 rimarily comprises a spiral track which begins near the axis of the disk and swings out in a gradual spiral to a point near the circumference thereof. The cam 9 may be constructed and attached to the post 8 in anypreferred manner but preferably I construct the same of a rail or wire will bent in the required shape and supported by radial arms 10 secured in a bracket or hub 11 supported upon and secured to the top of the post 8. The inner end 'ofthe cam at 12 dips down below the plane of the cam 9 at an. angle thereto for the purpose hereinafter described, and the outer end of the cam at 13 makes a similar inclined dip which should not normally stand below the plane ofthe cam but may be flexible.

It will be understood that in the normal operation of the Victor machine the needle 6 after being placed near the circumference of the disk 1 at the-beginning of the recordis gradually carried inward toward the axis Where the record ends. When the end of the record is reached it is necessary for'the operator to lift the needle and by swinging the tone arm carry it back to the starting point and set it on the disk if it is desired to repeat or play the'record again. For the purpose of accomplishing this automatically the cam 9 is located in a plane parallel tofthe disk but at a sufiici'ent height above it to clear the tone arm and diaphra m c'a'se.- The case at 14 is preferably provi ed with an inverted lL-shaped bracket the arm 15 of which lies below the plane of the -cam' 9 when the needle 5 is'in playingcontact the disk 1, but when the needle hasibeen carried inward toward the axisof the disk and theend of the record is-reachedtheend 12 of the cam is adapted to strike under the arm 15 and, as the cam rotates wzitbtiw arbor 2 of the record disk, the needle is lifted from the record. Further rotation of the disk and cam gradually transports the needle outward toward the circumference of the disk along the track of the cam.

until at the outer end of the cam 9 the arm 15 rides upon the clipping end 13 and the needle is again lowered into contact with the disk at the beginning of the record. This operation will continue as long as desired and the recordwill be repeatedly played.

- The dipping end 13 of the cam is preferably arranged to permit a free passage of the arm 15 thereunder in one direotionso that when the needle is on the outer circumferential lines of the rccordthe rotation of the disk will not be interfered with. For this purpose any suitable arrangement of the portion 13 may be employed such as mountmg clear the arm 15 without interfering therewith. When it is desired substitute it as a spring or hinged pawl which.

another record the cam 9 may be readily removed by lifting the post 8 out of the socket in the portion 2 of the table after which the disk may be lifted ofi and replaced by another record in the usual manner. If it is desired that the new record he played or repeated several times the cam 9 is replaced by inserting the end of the post 8 in the socket in the table and the record Will be automatically repeated Without any attention from the operator other than keeping the disk rotating.

l do not Wish to be limited to the specific form here shown for it Will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and adaptations of my device may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims.

it claim:

1. lln a repeating mechanism for talking machines the combination of a rotatable record table, a reproducer needle, a cam rotatable With said table and adapted to lift said needle from an operative position at the end of a selection and move it in its inoperative position across the face of the table approximately to the starting point of said selection and means connected With said cam for permitting said needle to return to an operative position as said starting point is reached.

2. in a repeating mechanism for talking machines the combination of a rotatable record table, a reproducer needle, a cam rotatable with said table and adapted to lift said needle from an operative position at the end of a selection and move it in its inoperative position across the face of the table approximately to the starting point ct said selection and a flexible member carmi i-ta ried by said cam for permitting said needle to yieldingly return to an operative position as said starting point is reached.

3. In a repeating mechanism for talking machines the combination of a rotatable record table, a reproducer needle, a projection connected with said needle, a spiral track extending about and connected with the aXis of said table to rotate therewith, a downwardly inclined end portion forming part of said track and adapted to extend beneath said projection and guide the same to said track whereby the needle is lifted from an operative position at a predetermined point and moved back across the face of the table approximately to its starting point and a flexible opposite end member carried by said track for permitting said needle to yieldingly return to an operative position as said starting point is reached.

4. In a repeating mechanism for talking machines, the combination of a rotatable record table provided With a socket at its axis, a reproducer needle, a projection connected therewith, a rod adapted to removably fit said socket and rotate with said table, and a cam carried by said rod so as to extend over the face of said table and adapted to lift said needle from an operative position at a predetermined point and to permit said needle to descend to an operative position at another predetermined point.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of tWO subscribing Witnesses.

LAW'REIJCE ABRAHAM. Witnesses:

ARTHUR G. Janine, Josnrr-r SHEERAN, 

